Bottle cap remover with resilient liner



July 11, 1950 c. cAPRlcclo BOTTLE CAP REMOVER WITH RESILIENT LINER Filed Au 14, 1946 3) INVENTdR Charles Ca pricc'io Patented July 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CA1 REMOVER WITH RESILIENT LINER Charles Capriccio, Corona, N. Application August 14, 1946, Serial No. 690,414

6 Claims. (01. 813.46)

The invention here disclosed relates to bottle cap removers and the principal objects of the invention are to provide a device of this sort which will effect the removal of a bottle cap and leave it in condition where it may be forced back over the bottle neck to again effectively seal the contents.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a cap remover of the character indicated which will be of simple, durable, inexpensive construction.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device such as indicated which will be useful as an implement for re-applying the same caps which it has removed.

Other desirable objects and. the novel features through which the purposes of the invention are attained are set forth or will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates certain present embodiments of the invention. Structure, however, may be further modified and changed, all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. l in the drawing is a broken sectional view showing one of the lifters in the act of removing a bottle cap;

Fig. 2 is a broken view looking into the cap receiving socket portion of the device;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a broken longitudinal sectional view and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of other embodiments;

Fig. '7 is a bottom plan view of the form of lifter showri in Fig. 6;

Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sectional views of different forms of liners for the cap receiving socket portion of the tool; and

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of another form of the liner.

In the first form of the lifter illustrated, Figs. 1 and 2, the device is made all in one piece, as by a punch press or casting operation, and comprises a lever handle l0 having at one end an integral, upwardly convergent, truncated, conical socket II.

This socket is larger in diameter and deeper than a commercial bottle cap [2, it is open at the top at l3 to admit a thumb or finger for pushing a removed cap out of the socket and it is provided, at the lower edge, with an inwardly projecting claw I4 for engagement under the skirt or flange of the bottle cap.

This bottle cap engaging claw may be either at the near or handle end of the socket or, as shdwnin Figs. 1 and 2, at the far edge of the socket, at a point furthest removed from the handle.

' To control the expansion of the cap and hold it in substantially circular conformation while being sprung over the lip of the bottle, the cap receiving socket is lined with a rubber or other resilient lining l5, of smaller diameter than the cap so as to compressibly confine the cap all the Way around, in the act of removal.

The cap confining lining may be held in place in various ways, as by the claw M at one side and an inwardly projecting lug I6 at the opposite side of the socket. It may be cemented in mer or pusher for forcing a removed bottle cap back over the mouth of a bottle.

To aid in applying the necessary force required to spring a cap over the holding lip of a bottle, a fulcrum piece is desirable in the head of the socket diametrically opposite the cap lifting claw.

In Figs. 1 and 2, this fulcrum piece or heel is provided by an integrally formed, hollow lump I8 molded in the upper portion of the lining and supported in distended form by a lug l9 extended downward from the top of the socket at the edge;

of the opening therethrough.

The engagement of the hollow spring fulcrum, portion [8 over the rigid lug l9, locates the lin-- ing properly in the socket, with the fulcrum op-. posite the cap lifting claw.

The second form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is made in two pieces, which can be punch press formed, the first comprising the sheet metal handle 20 downwardly flanged at opposite edges at 2| to give it stiffness, and these flanges continued at the end of the handle in circular form to constitute the cap receiving socket 22.

The second piece is shown as a stamping 23. secured to the under side of the handle between the side flanges by rivet or other fastening 24 and having an arcuate flange portion 25 closing the gap between the side flanges of the handle and terminating in a cap lifting claw 26.

Fig. 5 shows how the socket may be made up as a continuous ring 21 formed from sheet metal and the handle 28 be made with a flange 29 at the end of the same to fit about the ring and secured thereto as by rivet or other fastening means 30.

The downwardly extended portion 29 of the handle, as shown in Fig. 5, may be further extended to provide the cap lifting claw 3i.

Fig. 5' also shows how the fulcrum or heel 32. may be simply a solid, integral lug or projection.

3 on the top portion of the lining, diametrically opposite th'e'clawzf 3 Figs. Sand? show h'owthe device may be made up from a single piece of strip metal doubled on itself and shaped to form the cap receiving""5"= socket 33 at one extremity and; z the 1lever handle q 34 at the other extremity, with the two ends of; the strip brought together at 35 and secured over. the flat neck portion 36 of the tool by rivets 'or" like fastenings 31. -v

In this case the portions of the strip which are looped around to form the cap receiving socket are shown as equipped with integral, inwardly extended lugs- 38; providing companioncazp' liftingv -claws:-diametrically opposite the J in--' te'rnal spring fulcrum: 3'2

In the severalsh'eet or strip metal for-ms of the" invention; the edge oi-the.:m'etal may-fbe inwardly extended as a lug"-or"-flange 39 t securely holdthenubb'erhning in place;

"Rie -moldedrubber linin'gshown in "Fig: 8 is-- generally -like that shown in-Fi g. 5, With'integral fulcrum projection '32 'but with the rest of the wall' of thedining: substantially the samethickness, instead of being 'thicker'at the bottom, as shown in Figs; 33- and 6."

Fig. :9i=illustrates a form of lining; designed a to fit -entirely within the cap receiving socket; with no extension through the cap ejecting openingi' The constructions described can be produced at'rlow: cost and; provide an effective I tool'for removing. bottle caps without injuring the same and for leav-ing thecaps in such condition that they-' may be re-applied 'by handi Figs ll) shows howthe elastic liner" may besimply a ring of arena-te or semi-circular'cross section; or the thickened wall at theucenter of the ring serving to. compressiblyihold the skirt of the cap duringthe cap lifting operation;

While: the 'yielding socket confines the -cap l suificiently to normally prevent anyappreciable distortion awhile springingithei cap :over the fiange of'the bottlamouth-it'may beidesirable at times $011156. the socket as" a tool for replacing: the cap:- or to: providetsa; special socket for the? purpose;-J possibly mounted on the:other' end of i the handle. In such-use the removed; cap wouldibe located in the yielding-J; socket and ithen zbeiforced; dOWll'FillliO' grippingi'engagement over thecbo-ttle" neck by. applying pressure on thei-top" off the tool; they yielding,..socket=' then serving to;- even-1y confine the skirti oti thacapi as it. is: being. :sprung' back: down .OVGIITth'BIllpJ or'ibead of the bottle mouth.

What is :claimedxis:

1: A cap preservingrbottle; cap remover com-- 55 prising .a lever handle having a;bottle-i'cap're'.- ceiving socket, ofii larger; I diameter than a com:, mercial bottle cap and provided with an'z-elastics lining; ofr-smallera: diameter. thanvsuch' a: bottle capandcconformable into. resilient confiningen- 0 gagementewith the =ilan'ge .of the cap :in the? act of removal a-nd a claw carried'by said lever handle? at theredge -of said cap receiving socket and projecting inward beneath the edge: ofsaid elastic: lining; holding saidielastici-lining in place in'" the 55 socket andlextendingfar enough" inward foremgagement beneath the edgeuofrthe flange of the cap;

2; A cap preservingi bottle cap remover com prising a lever handle having a bottle cap re ceiving socket of larger diameter than a, commercial" bottle cap and provided with an elastic lining of". smaller" diameter than such a bottle cap and conformable into resilient confining engagementiwithLthe flange of' the: cap in the act 1, socket;

of removal, a claw carried by said lever handle at-*the edge of jd cap receivings'ocket and proje-cang inward' beneaththe-edge"of said elastic lining for engagement beneath the edge of the flange of the cap and a fulcrum heel within the topportion: ofthe socket substantially diametrically opposite said claw.

3. A cap preserving bottle cap remover comprisinga' 'lever handle having a bottle cap receiving;socketlloftlarger diameter than a commercial bottle cap and provided with an elastic lining of smaller diameter than such a bottle cap and conformable into resilient confining engagement iWitii iia'nge .ezof the? ."capr iin tithe act otremoval landxazclawcarriedcbyrsaictclever; handle atth'ef edge: of? said can: receiving socket: and? projecting inward? beneathivtheeedgeaot'tsaid elastic-lining for. engagement:-'beneatlii.theeedge: ofithe fiange ofi'thelcap; said'lining-jpro'jacting up; through the top of the socket to serve assia'zz cushion .for i hammering ortforcingi; a e,ca-pwb'ack overzatha mouth.:.of :bottle;'.

41' Heap preserving bottlezcapremover comprise" ing a lever handle having a bottle cap receiving? sccket'of-i larger:- diameter than. atcomm'ercial bottle capsand providedwithran elastic lining; of. smaller diameter than suchzasbottle capziandi conformable into resilienteconfini-ngsengagement: with the flange of the cap:vin;theaact?lof; removal and aclaw carried-bywsaidlever handlezatnthes edge of said-.capireceivingsocket'and projecting: inward beneath: th'e-s edge of' said: elastic, lining;

: 1 1 for engagement-beneath the edge -ofathe-flange 30f the cap, said soekethaving "a cap ejectingiopening; upvthroughthecentenof the'same and saidselastic; lining having an: extension projecting upthroughi said opening, andrflanged: over: theltop'; ofgthei 5.11 can preserving bottled-cap. remover comprising a lever. handlevof fiat stock -materialehaviing a circular opening at one-lend. and down turned edgeflanges: continued around sa-id end 1220f the handier-in-zth'e :form -of apart circular socket; a bracket secured to the under side;- of the handle-betweensaid edge-flanges and-cone:- tinuing the part circular flanges at the endaof: the handle: into substantially completely circupnlar socket,a cap.liftingclawat the loweraedgef part circular flanges eat the end of the handles into a substantiallycompletely circular socket a-cap lifting clawat the lowerredge of said socket-r and; asresilient. cam-confining, linen within-;sa id;- socket, said claw being carried by said bracket".

CHARLES 1 CAPRICGIO.

REFERENCES CITED The-iollowingq references= are of record m that fileiof this patent;

UNITED 'STATES PATENTS Number: I Name Date 941,865 Forsyth eta1 Nov. 30;,190'9? 1,62%;715: E'nkler et al. May 117-;"1927 1,954 ,l22 McIntyre; Apr; 10;,19342 2,330,893 Hutofi Oct. 51*194"? 

